Want bullet in chest or 50 yrs of glorious future, questions Abhishek at Meghalaya

KOLKATA: Claiming that Meghalaya had turned into a safe 'haven for corrupt people' and the northeastern state is waiting at the cusp of change, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee urged the state's people to ask their conscience each morning for the next 60 days—with Assembly polls due early next year—whether they wanted a bullet in their chest and an ex-gratia Rs 5 lakh as a compensation or 50 years of glorious future ahead?

Referring to the firing incident at Mukhroh—along the Assam-Meghalaya border—in which at least 6 people, including a forest guard, were killed, Abhishek slammed the Conrad Kongkal Sangma-led Meghalaya government for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the accused, who—as per the TMC leader—were moving 'scot-free.' "Can Conrad Sangma go to the Prime Minister, Home Minister or the President and say I need justice for my people? My people were shot dead, were shot at their chest and were killed mercilessly…you will never see your Chief Minister go and protest in Delhi because he has a spine deposited in Delhi. He (the Meghalaya CM) is under compulsion because otherwise they (BJP) will use the CBI and the ED against him," he said.

The TMC national general secretary also claimed that though the BJP had been using 'intimidating tactics' against the party, the saffron party had failed to 'intimidate' the TMC. Banerjee assured the party workers at the meeting that his party would n't budge an inch from its 'fight against the autocratic forces.' Adding that the TMC was the only party in the country which was taking on BJP head-on, he urged the the party workers to remind themselves that they need to put their 'entire might and weight' to ensure that the corrupt inept Meghalaya government was uprooted from the soil of the state.

He further stated that the guidance of the party's chairperson, Trinamool had come a long way in terms of its organisational strength in Meghalaya in barely six months. "…within six months Trinamool Congress has not only emerged as the most prominent and formidable force in the state, we are an active family of one lakh members in the state of Meghalaya," he said.

Banerjee also asked the Meghalaya Chief Minister as to why he had not been to Delhi to include Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution?

"The healthcare system is in doldrums and there is no infrastructure. The BJP talks about the double engine government now time has come when the BJP will have to answer why no development has taken place in the state," he said.

TMC tweeted: "Our National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc addressed our leaders and party workers at the Party Workers' Convention held in State Central Library today. He restated our steadfast commitment towards the betterment of Meghalaya and the progress of the beautiful hill state."